Cabin Reconnaissance

I pushed past the flexible rubber seal of the rear firewall and dropped onto the woven floor mat behind the passenger seat. The interior smells of cracked vinyl and warm sun. Pinned between the seat track and the center tunnel, I spotted an old road map of Los Angeles County folded unevenly. I gripped the corner of the heavy paper and pulled it flat across the floorboards. The printed red lines confirm Figueroa Street cuts straight through the district, matching my external bearings. Behind the gearshift lever, a discarded silver metal bottle cap provided a sturdy elevated step, giving me clear line of sight through the side window toward the alley entrance.